Page:Memorials of Capt. Hedley Vicars, Ninety-seventh Regiment by Marsh, Catherine, 1818-1912.djvu/159

152 lightful letter yesterday, together with three from Beckenham. I think I never had a richer treat. I was grieved to hear of your severe illness, but thank God you are now recovering. It rejoices my heart to hear that you enjoyed so much of the presence of the Lord Jesus. When sickness is thus blessed, how earnestly can we say with David, 'It is good for me to have been afflicted;' I love the Lord for having brought me closer to Himself. God grant that when you are restored to health you may never forget the love of that blessed Saviour who was with you in the long hours of pain and weariness, when no earthly friend could help you.

"O, beloved Clara, may the merciful pity and love of Jesus constrain each of us to adore Him more, and to give up our whole hearts to Him! Let us earnestly pray for more faith in His atoning sacrifice, 'for the love of Christ' is but an empty sound to us until we have by faith seen Him nailed to the cross for us. Oh, may we ever think of Jesus as our best and dearest Friend and Brother, one whose loving-kindness never changes; and then, in that great day, when the thorny crown shall be replaced by the royal diadem, and Jesus as Lord of all shall ask, 'Lovest thou me?' our hearts may be able to answer with humility, and yet with confidence, 'Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.' Thank you for praying for me. I must tell you that I never was in better health than at this time, nor in better spirits, as far as I am myself concerned.

"We had delightful weather while sailing up the Bosphorus; the scenery was charming, but the large white hospital at Scutari gave me rather a sickening feeling at my heart. In the Black Sea we encountered very stormy weather, but came all safe in sight of the Crimea on the afternoon of the 19th, and the same night anchored in a small bay. The sea was cover-